Heritage Museum conducts reception

Wednesday

Nov 28, 2007 at 12:01 AMNov 28, 2007 at 5:03 PM

The Brighton-Allston Heritage Museum at 20 Chestnut Hill Ave. conducted a celebratory reception in honor of those who have donated or loaned museum artifacts, objects and materials over the past year, as well as those that were underwriters for the 2008 Brighton-Allston Calendar.

The Brighton-Allston Heritage Museum at 20 Chestnut Hill Ave. conducted a celebratory reception Tuesday, Nov. 28, at the museum attended by 40 people. The evening reception was planned by the Museum Events Committee, led by co-chairmen Louise Bonar and Sharon Cayley. This event was in honor of the many individuals, organizations and businesses that have donated or loaned museum artifacts, objects and materials over the past year, as well as those that were underwriters for the 2008 Brighton-Allston Calendar.

All of the underwriting gifts, as well as profits from the sale of the calendars, are dedicated to operating the museum, including enhancing existing exhibitions and planning new exhibitions. The calendar underwriters included Harvard University, People Federal Savings Bank, Boston Lock & Safe Co., New Balance, Brighton-Allston 200, Prime Reality Group, Houghton Chemical, Hamilton Realty and the Stockyard Restaurant.

All of the new items donated or lent to the museum were on display for the first time for this special event.

Special invited guests at the reception were the 50 volunteer museum guides who staff the museum throughout the week.

A special thank you was also presented to Ada Freedman, who was a member of the Heritage Museum Planning Group, which organized the opening of the museum Saturday, Feb. 24. After the museum opened, Freedman was also a volunteer museum guide and served as a guide for more hours in total than anyone else.

John Quatrale, executive director of the museum, ended the evening by urging everyone to consider donating additional historical items, especially three-dimensional ones. He explained that the museum is eager to become the depository of all aspects of the history and heritage of Brighton and Allston. He suggested several categories for present and past residents to consider: business products, household items, dishes, musical instruments, paintings, quilts, dolls, toys, farm tools, glassware, industrial tools, textiles, uniforms, war memorabilia and political memorabilia.

The Brighton-Allston Heritage Museum is presented by the Brighton-Allston Historical Society and Heritage Museum and most of the initial cost of establishing the museum was through the Brighton-Allston 200 Inc.

Allston-Brighton Heritage Museum

The newly established Brighton-Allston Heritage Museum, situated at the lower level of the Veronica Smith Senior Center, 20 Chestnut Hill Ave., Brighton Center, is open during the following hours:

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from noon-4 p.m.

The second and fourth Saturday of each month from noon-4 p.m.

Current exhibits include Brighton-Allston Transformed & Bull Market.

Guides are available, if desired, to show visitors through the collection. Group tours are welcome.

Admission is free.

If you have questions, call the museum at 617-635-1436 during hours of operation.

Anyone interested in becoming a museum guide should contact Louise Bonar, coordinator of volunteers, at 617-254-1729.